HC Deb 20 March 1984 vol 56 cc904-8
Q1. Mr. Colvin

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 20 March.

The Lord Privy Seal and Leader of the House of Commons (Mr. John Biffen)

I have been asked to reply.

My right hon. Friend is attending a meeting of the European Council in Brussels.

Mr. Colvin

In asking my right hon. Friend to convey to the Prime Minister our best wishes for success, may I also ask whether he is aware that on the home front, as a result of the Budget, 100,000 fewer pensioner households will be paying income tax than was the case under Labour? Does that not show that, as well as being a Budget for business and jobs, it is also a Budget for pensioners, and that we can get the priorities right, even if Opposition Members fail to recognise that?

Mr. Biffen

I shall gladly convey best wishes to my right hon. Friend in her task at the European Council meeting. The House will be aware that she will be reporting on that tomorrow. My hon. Friend is right to draw attention to the pensioner households that will be taken out of tax as a result of my right hon. Friend's Budget, and further to observe that it is an extraordinarily well-judged and well-balanced Budget in what it offers and in terms of industry and social judgment.

Mr. Kinnock

On the subject of the treatment of pensioners, is the right hon. Gentleman aware that as a consequence of the Health and Social Security Bill pensioners will have to meet huge increases in the cost of their spectacles? Does he also understand that the greater their need to change their spectacles, the higher the cost will be? How can he possibly defend that?

Mr. Biffen

The right hon. Gentleman will be aware that arrangements are made for the provision of National Health spectacles for pensioners. For the totality of pensioners, I have no doubt that the lifetime of this Government and Parliament will show an increase in pensioner living standards compared with what happened under the Labour Government.

Mr. Kinnock

I am sorry that the right hon. Gentleman does not appear to be aware that pensioners no longer qualify for National Health Service spectacles. The only people who do qualify are the very poor and children under the age of 16. Is he aware that pensioners will now have to pay £70 to £80 for spectacles which they have been able to get on the National Health Service for £30? If he agrees with my view of that, and I suspect that he does, why does he not have changes made on Report?

Mr. Biffen

I say at once to the right hon. Gentleman that my observations about pensioners' living standards took account of the recent changes in the legislation governing spectacles. It is a very short-term piece of politics to engage in scare talk of £80 for a pair of spectacles. It would be nice to have the debate carried further on Report, and we shall welcome that.

Mr. Porter

Will my right hon. Friend take time today to indicate to the Government of the Republic of Ireland the gratitude of Her Majesty's Government that McGlinchey was so rapidly extradited to Northern Ireland? Does this not indicate——

Mr. Speaker

Order. I must warn the hon. Gentleman and the House that this matter is sub judice.

Q2. Mr. Blair

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 20 March.

Mr. Biffen

I have been asked to reply.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave some moments ago.

Mr. Blair

Regardless of the merits, does the right hon. Gentleman not agree that the blanket setting-up of road blocks to prevent the free movement of citizens is a serious invasion of civil liberty and has no basis whatever in law? Prior to the introduction of this arbitrary emergency power, what consultations and discussions took place between the Government and chief constables?

Mr. Biffen

As to the first point, which I understand is the subject of legal action, I cannot comment upon any individual case, but there is no doubt about the general legal situation. If a constable reasonably concludes that persons are travelling for the purpose of taking part in a picket in circumstances where there is likely to be a breach of the peace, he has the common law power to call upon them not to continue their journey.

Mrs. Jill Knight

May I draw the attention of my right hon. Friend to the fact that my right hon. and learned Friend the Minister for Health, during the Committee Stage of the Bill dealing with charges for spectacles, has noted that a number of elderly people who will face extreme extra charges if they are not allowed to have National Health Service spectacles will be the subject of some consideration? Can he back up the suggestion of his right hon. and learned Friend with an assurance to the House that people will not be penalised if their sight is very bad?

Mr. Biffen

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for her comment. I am certain that in this matter, as on social services issues generally, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services needs no instruction from the Opposition Benches.

Mr. Benn

Can the Leader of the House tell the House by what statutory authority police have occupied the Speedwell rooms in Chesterfield and the Ashgate hospital? Will he give a categorical assurance that the Government have not put the armed forces on to alert?

Mr. Biffen

I can give the right hon. Gentleman an assurance that the armed forces have not been put on alert.

Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop

In the context of the Prime Minister negotiating with other Heads of Government in the EEC, would it not be timely for her to remind the other Heads of Government that the reason for the unanimity rule is that the EEC should not destroy itself by taking decisions that are unacceptable to any member State?

Mr. Biffen

I agree with that view.

Q3. Mr. Andrew MacKay

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 20 March.

Mr. Biffen

I have been asked to reply.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave some moments ago.

Mr. MacKay

Is my right hon. Friend aware that many British companies are now experiencing considerable difficulties in securing orders in the Gulf because the Governments in that area—[Interruption.]—rightly resent the irresponsible muck-raking carried on in this House by Labour Members who have tried, unsuccessfully, to damage the Prime Minister's reputation? Do they realise how much harm they are doing to British industry? Doe they realise how many jobs are at risk because of their action?

Mr. Biffen

I have no evidence of contracts lost, but I am sure my hon. Friend is right to say that the matters to which he referred could well make life that much more difficult for British exporters in the area. One thing is certain: what makes for grubby politics is rarely good for this country.

Mr. Haynes

Is the Leader of the House aware that people outside the mining community, ordinary folk, are concerned about the over-reaction of the police in the miners' dispute, which clearly shows that the Government are taking the course of establishing a police state? Will the right hon. Gentleman tell the House and the public outside whether they are planning to move to a one-party state?

Mr. Biffen

There is rarely an industrial dispute that cannot be made worse by the rhetoric of politicians, but to talk about a police state or the Government trying to connive at a one-party state is a straight absurdity. In my opinion, the police have performed a most important role in enabling those who wish to work to exercise that right.

Q4. Mr. Robert Atkins

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 20 March.

Mr. Biffen

I have been asked to reply.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave some moments ago.

Mr. Atkins

Does not my right hon. Friend applaud the speed with which the Irish Garda recenty accomplished the capture of Mr. Dominic McGlinchey? Does he not also applaud the increasing co-operation between security forces on both sides of the border? Will he pay tribute to the Taoiseach for standing up to the extremists who are trying to upset him, particularly in the United States of America, since that must bode well for future Anglo-Irish relations?

Mr. Biffen

I join my hon. Friend in congratulating the Garda on securing the captivity of Mr. McGlinchey. I also agree with my hon. Friend on the other points that he raised and in hoping that this will augur continued and improving relations between this country and the Irish Republic.

Mr. Fatchett

Is the Leader of the House not concerned that only 179 Conservative Members have signed early-day motion 585 about the Prime Minister? Does the Leader of the House feel that that low number can be accounted for by the fact that many Conservative Members agree with the right hon. Member for Old Bexley and Sidcup (Mr. Heath), who feels that the Prime Minister should make a statement to the House?

Mr. Biffen

I am sure that connoisseurs of early-day motions will be more than satisfied by the time the final number has been tallied.

Q5. Mr. Dobson

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 20 March.

Mr. Biffen

I have been asked to reply.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave some moments ago.

Mr. Dobson

Will the Leader of the House say whether he believes the chairman of the Conservative party, who said that the "Panorama" programme on Right-wing infiltration of the Tory party was incorrect, or whether he believes the chairman of the Young Conservatives, who said that it was correct?

Mr. Biffen

The "Panorama" programme is itself now the subject of legal representations and I shall very properly curtail my comments on that account. Let me say at once, however, that it would not need the proposition of a comparison between my hon. Friend the chairman of the Conservative party and the chairman of the Young Conservatives for me to say without question that my hon. Friend has conducted his chairmanship and investigation of this issue with total integrity. The fact that the matter is now being considered for reference to the Broadcasting Complaints Commission is a sign of the very serious concern felt about it.

Sir Anthony Grant

Is my right hon. Friend aware that in answer to a recent question of mine the Prime Minister stated that more than £1,000 million a year of public money is pumped into Merseyside? Are the taxpayers getting value for their money, and would it not be a good thing if the Liverpool council stopped whining and started obeying the law?

Mr. Biffen

The very statistic that my hon. Friend quotes is a reason why there would be very little public tolerance of a revolt by the Militant Tendency councillors on the Liverpool council.